Tag Archives: Parka Blogs

BioShock Infinite has created a game world environment that is as unique as it is breathtaking. Now we have a wealth of artwork to admire from the talents at Irrational Games. Firstly Ben Lo has released his environment concept art that helped to create the beautiful Columbia. Dark Horse have published the 184-page hardcover concept artbook entitled The Art Of BioShock Infinite, reviewed in-depth on Parka Blogs. Finally, there is a feature in the latest issue of 3D Artist on the design and development of the city in the sky, with some interesting insight into the sources that inspired the 1912 era artwork.

I think Columbia is so layered and dense, I’d need to spend time reverse-engineering a core example to state what its aesthetic is in a sentence. The quick answer is that Columbia is a massive stew of references. Some of the key research came from sources like Hello, Dolly!, Gangs of New York, Main Street (USA), Moulin Rouge, the 1900 Paris World Expo, the documentary America 1900, Boardwalk Empire, as well as a handful of websites like www.shorpy.com

Parka Blogs have a new review online for Street Fighter X Tekken: Artworks. It’s certainly an unusual book containing some strange character illustrations. Most of them, seemingly, with 3D water effects added for no clear reason. There are sections on trailers & endings, character designs, character profiles and interviews, one of which is with Polygon Pictures who talk about the game’s visual design. All in all, one for fans only I suspect.